Saturday, January 14, 2012

Kat: If Adam Levine wants to have anal sex, who am I to look askance? I mean, in the second half of eleventh grade, that's all I had. Ronnie was worried about pregnancies and would only have anal sex. He went off to college and ended up a father-to-be in his first semester so obviously he had more than anal with other women --

But I'm getting ahead of myself. "Kat's Korner: 2011 in music" went up at the end of last month and, as usual, there were kisses and hisses in the e-mails. That's more than fine. I'm sharing my opinion, you share your own. Some of the rudest e-mails make me laugh the hardest and I never take it seriously.

There were 140 or so e-mails on Maroon Five and Adam Levine objecting to this section:

8) Rob Crow's He Thinks He's People. Pinback's Crow goes solo again. It's a mystical ride and it's easy to think he's at his best this album when he's pursuing a gentler sound like in "Tranked." But then comes "I'd Like To Be There" and you're left with the reality that Crow should be dominating the airwaves. He's not and he didn't. Nor did Alexander O'Neal. And that says a great deal about masculinity and manhood in 2011. "Where are the men?" should have been the radio cry. There are a lot of little boys singing wimping little love ditties or offering raps that succeed at clever while failing in every other way. But where are the men? Maroon Five scores (with a super-strong assist from Christina Aguilera) as it finds the male lead singer (Adam Levine) proclaiming he's "got the moves like Jagger" yet the video really depends upon a series of women demonstrating those dance moves and on Christina to get down and dirty and supply the raunch and roll vocally. In fact, whether it's singing "take my by the tongue" with real authority or the ability to get out in front of the band, it's repeatedly Christina who pulls off that trick. What does that say about Maroon 5 when their lead singer's tinny vocals barely register and never manage to soar above the music?

Now some of the objections were people insisting that Adam's vocals weren't tinny to them. And fine on that. But some were telling me this was an amazing song and a deeply sexual one and asking if I was being prudish?

I exchanged e-mails, noting I'd had anal sex as early as high school (and since) so I wasn't a prude. I just wasn't impressed with the song and felt if it had included clarity (his wanting a woman to perform anal sex on him or his wanting a man to do it), I might have been more impressed but, to me, the whole thing seemed a little tongue in (ass) cheek.

Repeatedly the reply was a stunned "Huh?" making me fear for the country's comprehension level -- would Three's Company need to footnote their double entendre to get laughs today?

Oh So get in the car We can ride it Wherever you want Get inside it And you want to steer But I'm shifting gears I'll take it from here (Oh! Yeah yeah!) And it goes like this (Uh)

In 1985, Natalie Cole thought she was being naughty with "Your Car (My Garage)" off her overlooked Modern Records release Dangerous. The whole point of that song was that the cheating boyfriend's 'car' (penis) had been all over town and he couldn't park it in her 'garage' (vagina) because she paid the monthly 'rent' (periods).

Adam is singing "get into the car," children, that would be his ass. "We can ride it." "Get inside it."

What do you think the song means?

And why and whose "gear" is he intent on grabbing?

We all knew, from the start, that it was a song about sex, right?

"Moves like Jagger"?

Jagger being Mick Jagger, known as a 'swordsman' of many decades.

We were all on the same page, right?

Apparently not.

Some insisted it was just a song about the joy of dancing.

Granted, I haven't square danced since 7th grade gym class, but I'm not remembering "Take me by the tongue" -- a la "Take your partner by the tongue!" -- as a directive.

It's fairly obvious that the song is about sex.

And Adam (or whichever co-writer of the song) may be in search of a gal with a strap on or a guy to do the drilling. The song's vague -- or limp -- on that part. But it's 2012 and Mick and the Stones were doing a lot more, many decades ago. Or have we all forgotten "When The Whip Comes Down?"

Lesson of the song, we can disagree and I have no problem with that. But don't ask me why we disagree if you can't handle the answer. One e-mailer ended her exchange with, "Adam Levine is the sexiest male in music and I thought you'd at least give him points for that." Hey, music's all about the hormones, no question. And Adam is a sexy looking guy -- though I preferred him before he started shaving his chest. Judging by the song, his music persona's is a bit more complicated than missionary position, but since when is that a bad thing? Maybe next time he'll be more frank? Because, as we all learned in high school, no one likes a tease.

(For Emily, who wrote about how sexy Adam was, I'm including the screen snaps from the video. And while I did prefer him with a bit of chest fur, he is a very sexy man, yes.)

Al Mada reports that Moqtada al-Sadr has stated some politicians are grand-standing on violence and the dead, that they "see the blood coming and fight one another for chairs," that they attempt to "increase their own popularity" by standing on the dead and the blood, using the violence to make themselves look tougher. Though Moqtada doesn't name who is referring to, it is true that in both the 2009 provincial elections and the 2010 ones, Nouri's group did tend to run on similar themes. Al Mada also reports that President Jalal Talabani has declared that Iraq is not governed just by consensus but also by national partnership and is calling on the religious sector to help harmony and tolerance return. Abdul-Jabbar Jubouri (Kitabat) notes that a national conference is planned to resolve the political crisis that Nouri al-Maliki created and that the conference may include new political participants the League of Righteous. (A week ago, Nouri's spokesperson declared that they wouldn't pay the terrorist group to turn over their arms, but they hoped they would.) Goran is a small fraction of the Kurdistan Alliance and Dar Addustour reports they are coming up with a list of their own demands for a national conference.

Rumors continue to swirl that al-Issawi is Nouri's next intended target. He kicked things off with mass arrests (the bulk of the nearly 800 arrested are said to have been released or about to be -- proving yet again that it was targeting a certain segment of Iraq's population). Then, after returning to the country from DC (where he visited with Barack Obama), Nouri ordered Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi's home surrounded with tanks and then, days later, issued an arrest warrant on al-Hashemi. Upon return from DC, he also demanded that Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq be stripped of his post. al-Issawi, al-Hashemi and al-Mutlaq are all members of the political slate Iraqiya which came in first in the March 2010 elections. Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law came in second. Al Mada reports that State of Law's Samira al-Moussawi is stating that al-Mutlaq will not be allowed to continue in his post, that State of Law will not allow it.

Not content at lashing out at politicians in his own country, Nouri appears determined to expand the political crisis into the entire region. Al Mada notes that Nouri is stating the remarks of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will cause a catastrophe. Hyperbole's always been a part of Nouri's make up. Kitabat also notes Nouri's attack on Erdogan and how he accuses Erdogan's call for Iraq to resolve the political crisis as Turkey interfering in Iraq's domestic affairs. You've heard of a pep squad? Well Nouri has a thug squad. And Al Mada reports that State of Law, on Saturday, joined Nouri in attacking Edrogan and the country of Turkey.

Though US news outlets continue to remain silent on the 4 Americans arrested in Baghdad, Iraqi press is all over the story. Kitabat reports the four -- two men, two women -- were carrying guns with silencers when they were arrested. Al Mada reports that sources who can't go on the record with their names are stating that the four have been released.

Kat's "2 new music pieces" went up a little while ago. After this goes up, Kat's music piece will go up. She's expanding on a section of her year-in-review. That goes up after this. Her second piece is a review of an album. The album's due out Tuesday so Kat'll be giving you an advanced look at it. That should go up Sunday morning. If not, it'll go up Monday. That's a real treat and both should have you laughing. (I couldn't stop laughing when Kat was writing them.)

Iran has a creative opportunity to slow the cycle of deterioratingrelations with the U.S. by reconsidering the death sentence of aformer Marine it just convicted as a CIA spy.Amir Hekmati, 28, received special training and served at U.S.military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before entering Iran for hisalleged intelligence mission, Al-Jazeera wire service reports.The former military translator was born in Arizona to a family ofIranian origin and graduated from high school in Michigan, where hisfather, Ali, is a community college professor in Flint.According to Al-Jazeera, a branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Courtconvicted Hekmati of "working with a hostile country, belonging to theCIA" (and) "trying to accuse Iran of involvement in terrorism." Thecourt found him to be "a fighter against God," and one who "spreadscorruption."

(SALEM) - In a violent world where a genocide can claim as many as six million human lives in a single 'program', it seems unimaginable that the deaths of 29 people could, in modern times, hugely impact the future of all human beings.

That's right, the world's safety and World War Three itself, hinges on the reaction to the deaths of 29 innocent people. Is your child's future worth the honor of 29 people?

One day in 1994, an Israeli doctor entered a Muslim place of worship and opened fire with an assault rifle. He had several magazines but eventually ran out of ammo and the survivors killed him.

Heinous and utterly cold blooded and cruel, this 'doctor' is a martyr today among Israeli settlers, who live in colonies built specifically on stolen Palestinian land.

Southern Iraq was slammed with a major bombing today, the last day of Arbaeen. Anne Barker (Australia's ABC News) reports it was a suicide bomber, in a police uniform, who detonated in Basra, taking his own life and over fifty others with over one hundred people left injured. The Telegraph of London notes, "The attack happened on the last of the 40 days of Arbain, when hundreds of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims from Iraq and abroad visit the Iraqi city of Kerbala, as well as other holy sites. Saturday's blast occurred near the town of Zubeir as pilgrims marched toward the Shi'ite Imam Ali shrine on the outskirts of the town, said Ayad al-Emarah, a spokesman for the governor of Basra province." Alsumaria TV explains, "Al Khotwa Mosque, situated near Al Basra city on the eastern entrance of Al Zubair District center, was the second mosque built following Al Masjid Al Nabawi in the city of Medina, and the first one to be built outside KSA. Imam Ali Bin Abi Taleb prayed, during Al Jamal battle in 36 AH, at Al Khotwa mosque which bears a significant importance for Shiites who mass up by thousands in the mosque on religious occasions."

Raheem Salman and Jeffrey Fleishman (Los Angeles Times) add that there are conflicting accounts with the Barsra Provincial Council spokesperson Hashim Luaibi echoing the story above but with Basra's Chief of Security Ali Ghanim Maliki insisting that the bomber was someone "pretending he was distributing food to pilgrims." An Iraqi correspondent for McClatchy Newspapers shares his reaction at Inside Iraq:When I saw the pictures of the explosion on TV, when I saw the weeping mothers, the crying children and the people who were running everywhere looking for their relatives, I couldn’t stand the scene and I changed the channel. When my wife tried to ask me about the explosion, I interrupted her and asked her never to ask me about anything. It looks that eight years of work with press and going to dozens of explosions scenes had filled my heart with pain and sorrow and there is no more place for any news pains.

Nabil al-Jurani (AP) reports, "Basra hospital received 53 killed and 137 wounded after the blast, said Dr. Riyadh Abdul-Amir, the head of Basra Health Directorate. He said some of the wounded were in serious condition, and warned the death toll may rise further." AFP observes, "The violence was the latest in a spate of attacks against Shiite pilgrims in the two weeks leading to the conclusion of Arbaeen, which marks 40 days after the Ashura anniversary commemorating the slaying of Imam Hussein, one of Shiite Islam's most revered figures, by the armies of the caliph Yazid in 680 AD." Michael S. Schmidt (New York Times) also notes the sect issue, "During the past 10 days, insurgents have unleashed a string of attacks on Shiites as they have made pilgrimages leading up to Arbaeen in what seems to have been an effort to incite sectarian violence during a monthlong political crisis that has increased tensions between the country's Shiite and Sunni politicians." However, Dan Morse (Washington Post) points out, "In interviews, the most common refrain of Shiite and Sunni citizens is that they care little about sectarianism and care a lot about jobs and having more than six hours of electricity a day." Al Mada reports the Baghdad Association has announced a national campaign which will utilize various artists and notables to decry sectarianism and stress Iraqi unity.

The following community sites -- plus Watching America and Adam Kokesh -- updated last night and today:

Editor's Note: This is the first installment of a three-part series on migrant rights by journalist and immigration activist David Bacon. This article is taken from the report "Displaced, Unequal and Criminalized - Fighting for the Rights of Migrants in the United States" that examines the origins of the current migratory labor phenomenon, the mechanisms that maintain it, and proposals for a more equitable system. The Americas Program is proud to publish this series in collaboration with the author.A political alliance is developing between countries with a labor export policy and the corporations who use that labor in the global north. Many countries sending migrants to the developed world depend on remittances to finance social services and keep the lid on social discontent over poverty and joblessness, while continuing to make huge debt payments. Corporations using that displaced labor share a growing interest with those countries' governments in regulating the system that supplies it.Increasingly, the mechanisms for regulating that flow of people are contract labor programs-called "guest worker" or "temporary worker" programs in the U.S., or "managed migration" in the UK and much of the EU. With or without these programs, migration to the U.S. and other industrial countries is a fact of life. Despite often using rhetoric that demonizes immigrants, the U.S. Congress is not debating the means for ending migration. Nothing can, short of a radical reordering of the world's economy.

The Iraq War and the Afghanistan War have produced many veterans. Many services are needed, many resources are overtaxed.

In San Diego a vacant building could house close to fifty veterans. KGTV's 10 News reports, "Dr. Robert Smith presented the plan which he said is particularly necessary in the San Diego area as it has the largest population of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in the nation at 28,000." But the psychiatric facility found objection at the Mission Hillas Town Council hearing by some parents who say that a school across the street from the vacant building means children could be at risk. Jeanette Steele (San Diego Union-Tribune) adds "neighbors are wary, saying it's not a 'vets versus kids' equation. They ay it's a great facility but there must be better places to put it in sprawling San Diego." If they're worried about danger to the kids, a vacant building in a city, as a general rule, tends to attract more problems than an occupied building. That's drug use and drug dealing, that's a safety hazard for children (who naturally enjoy exploring and may enter a vacant building) and so much more. The facility would be a medical one. There's no guarantee that it would be any more safe than any other medical facility, or any less safe. There are many reasons to oppose a new facility -- veterans or otherwise -- coming into a neighborhood but one that would fill a building that now stands empty? Ex-Navy nurse Mary Rushton is quoted stating, "When these veterans fail the program and are asked to leave, that's the end of the VA's responsibility. Who knows what could happen? From not controlling their emotions and reactions, things along those lines. I don't think these kids need to see anything." And what's really sad is that's from a former Navy nurse. The government sent people to war, there's no need to hdie that reality from children. Are they at risk? By the nurse's argument everyon across the country is at risk. I believe schools are supposted to have their own safety procedures. Does she not trust the school? We know she doesn't trust the veteran. In the comments, Tikvah Organics' owner Cyndi Norwitz makes this point:

Unbelievable. There are children in every neighborhood, so are these people in opposition saying these vets aren't welcome anywhere? There are schools in most neighborhoods too. As for being across the street from a school, that seems ideal to me. When school is in session (plus the hours before and after), the place is swarming with staff. What could be safer than that? My daughter's in first grade and I would have no problem with a center like this being across the street from her school

Hugh Lessig (Virginia's Daily Press) reports on Hampton Veterans Administration Medical Center's program which issues housing vouchers to veterans in need: "The bad news? Business is bomming here in Hampton Roads" and the veteran population they served used to trend to 40 to 60 years old but is now starting to decrease in age to their 20s and 30s. Meanwhile in Illinois, homeless veterans continue to increase in numbers. Susan Frick Carlman (Naperville Sun) reports the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans needs to open a second home and raised the issue at a town hall. US Senator Dick Durbin offered a non-reassuring, "I've got to look for new ways to help you, and if I can, I'll find some. If you've got the dedicated volunteers and professionals to make it work, it's a heck of an investment." If San Diego is the norm 9i hope it's not), then, should money be found, the shelter would next face the issue of finding a location that didn't have all the neighbors clutching the pearls.

Finding the money should be easy, after all the government's worked so very hard to refuse to give veterans the proper disability rating to save money (and cheat veterans). But sometimes veterans win in spite of it all. Michael Doyle (McClatchy Newspapers) reports, "After three years of legal maneuvering, a federal judge in late December quietly approved the settlement that covers [Iraq War veteran Chris] Crotte and about 2,100 other veterans who've been medically discharged since 2002 with post-traumatic stress disorder. Under the settlement, one of several similar efforts now under way, affected veterans discharged with PTSD will get better benefits, including lifetime health care and post-exchange privileges. The affected veterans had been discharged with disability ratings that were way too low to receive such benefits." On the subject of PTSD, the University of California San Francisco's Steve Tokar reports of a new study on women veterans and PTSD:

Women who served in the U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan were involved in combat at significantly higher rates than in previous conflicts, and screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder at the same rate as men, according to a study led by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco.

"While women technically are not supposed to serve in direct combat, this research demonstrates that, in reality, they are experiencing combat at a higher rate than we had assumed," said lead author Shira Maguen, PhD, a clinical psychologist at SFVAMC and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCSF. "At the same time, it shows that men and women really don't differ in how they react to the stresses of combat."

Women in the U.S. military gradually have been integrated into combat roles since the early 1990s, and today comprise about 14 percent of Americans serving in uniform. Of roughly 2.2 million troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 255,000 have been women, according to the Pentagon. Under current U.S Army rules, women are not officially assigned to units whose primary mission is direct combat on the ground, but can be assigned to other roles in combat zones.

The study of 7,251 active-duty soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is the first study, the authors say, to include gender as a variable in examining responses to four combat-associated traumatic experiences: killing, witnessing someone being killed, exposure to death (seeing dead soldiers or civilians) and injury.

These same women have found themselves, concurrently, caught in a second, more damaging war - a private, preemptive one in the barracks. As one female soldier put it, "They basically assume that because you are a girl in the Army, you're obligated to have sex with them." Resisting sexual assault in the barracks spills over to the battlefield, according to many women veterans, in the form of relentless verbal sexual harassment, punitive high-risk assignments and the morbid sense that your back is not being watched.The double trauma of war and sexual assault by "brothers-in-arms" within a culture of impunity for perpetrators may explain why a 2008 RAND Corporation study [1] "found that female veterans are suffering double the rates of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] than their male counterparts." Patricia Resick, a psychiatrist who researches PTSD in women for the Veterans Administration (VA), asserts "sexual trauma is a more significant risk factor for PTSD than combat or the types of trauma that men generally experience." Resick adds that sexual trauma, unlike combat trauma, is caused by people who are supposed to bond with you and protect you, and that betrayal by those you need to trust with your life deepens the harm.Military sexual trauma (sometimes referred to as MST) is so extreme that it is even more likely to cause PTSD in women than civilian sexual trauma ­­- because of military culture.

Many veterans and contractors also suffering from exposure to burn pits. For some the exposure has cost their lives. Next next month, the first ever scientific symposium will be held in New York.

The school of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brooke designates this live activity for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The War Party's lynch mob was out for Thorsen's hide the very next day, with Democratic party shill Paul Rieckhoff, head of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, declaring:"Our troops are many things to many people. Heroes, parents, diplomats, victims, villains, victors. But as the GOP Primary races roll through New Hampshire this week, there is one thing that all of America must understand they're not: political props.And that's not just my opinion, it's the law."This is why so many of us in the military and veterans community were so shocked and outraged last Tuesday night when we saw Corporal Jesse Thorsen step up to the microphone in uniform and endorse Ron Paul for President. We know the law -- the military law under the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice). We know Article 88of UCMJ prohibits contemptuous speech by commissioned officers against the President and certain elected officials at penalty of court-martial."Rieckhoff is off his rocker: the section of the complicated and often contradictory regulations being invoked against Thorsen has nothing to do with "contemptuous speech," but with engaging in partisan political activity while in uniform. Here is what Thorsen had to say at the Paul rally: do you hear any "contemptuous speech" in these remarks? I thought not. However, if you're a Democratic party operative like Rieckhoff -- who has served as an official party spokesman – you do indeed hear "contemptuous speech" in Thorsen's condemnation of President Obama's foreign policy. CNN did aninterview with Thorsen earlier, but cut him off when he started to talk about how our interventionist foreign policy is opposed by most soldiers -- which is why Paul has garnered more donations from military personnel than all other candidates combined.

In Iraq, Al Mada reported this morning that 4 Americans -- 2 men, 2 women -- have been arrested in Iraq. They were carrying weapons according to the governor of Baghad, Salah Abdul Razak. They were in a BMW which was stopped at a checkpoint and they were discovered with weapons. They displayed some form of identity badges but they were arrested and our in police custody with the Sixth Brigade conducting the investigation. Alsumaria TV quotes the governor stating:

The four Americans were arrested in a popular residential area that doesn't include vital sites. Detainees testified in preliminary investigations that they were ensuring the region's security. [. . .] Security forces could have shot them for penetrating the area without the consent or knowledge of authorities. There are strict orders to shoot any person that penetrates the area without the consent of operations' command. [. . .] Iraq's security is an internal affair that doesn't concern Americans even if they were intelligence members.

Despite the fact that this news, via the Al Mada story, was up, in English, at The Common Ills before 8:00 am EST, no one asked about it at the State Dept press briefing. Despite the fact that many of the reporters attending the State Dept press briefings read Arabic, no one asked about it. Despite the fact that foreign press attends the State Dept press briefings, no one asked about it. And the New York Times didn't report it.

Marc Lynch (Foreign Policy) states, "Expect a lot of more of these kinds of incidents in the coming days. While there hasn't been much coverage of the incident in English, it's being heavily covered in the Arab and Iraqi media. Arresting and exposing American operatives in Iraq is going to be politically popular and the local media will eat it up. A lot of ambitious political forces might find it useful to be seen on TV arresting an armed American. Armed Americans traveling around Iraq, whether security contractors or intelligence operatives, are going to be an endless source of potential crisis."

In Iraq, the political crisis continues. Nouri started it and now he wants to expand it, apparently, to go beyond Iraq's borders. How else to explain his attacks today on the Prime Minister of Turkey? Today's Zaman reports, "Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has harshly criticized Turkey for its what he said 'surprise interference' in his country's internal affair, claiming that Turkey's role could bring disaster and civil war to the region -- something Turkey will itself suffer." Interfere? Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cautioned that the political crisis could lead to a civil war in Iraq and has called on parties to start a real dialogue to resolve the issues. That's really not "interfering." But what has Nouri so ticked off is that Erdogan also stated the very plain fact that Nouri started the political crisis. It's a fact, Nouri doesn't like facts, but that doesn't change the status. AFP quotes Nouri stating, "Recently, we noticed their surprise interventions with statements, as if Iraq is controlled or run by them. Their latest statements interfered in domestic Iraqi affairs . . . and we do not allow that absolutely. If it is acceptable to talk about our judicial authority, then we can talk about theirs, and if they talk about our disputes, we can talk about theirs. Turkey is playing a role that might bring disaster and civil war to the region, and Turkey itself will suffer because it has different sects and ethnicities." It's always funny when Nouri unleashes his crazy in public. That was what bothered the French government the most about the White House backing Nouri in 2010, that Nouri was clearly unstable and that's who Barack wanted to rule Iraq? Crazy Nouri. KUNA reports Nouri and Erdogan were on the phone Thursday discussing the situation in Iraq. And now, today, Nouri's parading the crazy. At this rate, the bullet to the head so many observers feel is in Nouri's immediate future just may come from his own gun.

While Nouri was showing the world how unhinged he is, the Turkish Press reports that Erdogan was speaking on the phone with US Vice President Joe Biden about Iraq: "Reportedly, Erdogan said to Biden that if Iraq distances itself from the culture of democracy, efforts previously exerted for peace and stability will be wasted. Sources added that Erdogan and Biden also indicated that authoritarian and sectarian policies will never benefit Iraq and that Turkey and the US consider benefit in holding dialogue and consultations regarding the developments in Iraq." In addition, Erdogan spoke with President Barack Obama. The White House issued the following today:

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

January 13, 2012

Readout of the President's Call with Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey

President Obama and Prime Minister Erdogan spoke by telephone today about issues related to democracy, security and development in the Middle East and North Africa region; this was their first conversation in the New Year. The two leaders discussed recent developments in Iraq and their continued support for an inclusive, partnership government that brings stability, democracy and prosperity to the Iraqi people. They agreed that the U.S. and Turkey should continue to support the legitimate demands for democracy for the Syrian people and condemned the brutal action of the Assad regime. The two leaders discussed Iran's nuclear program and how Iran should engage with the international community in this regard. They agreed that U.S. and Turkish teams would remain in close contact on ways that Turkey and the U.S. can support the democratic transitions underway in the Middle East and North Africa.

Poor Nouri. UPI reports Iraqiya spokesperson Haidar al-Mulla declared today no national conference "can take place so long as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki remains in power". Al Mada reports that the expanded meeting (not the national conference) is set for this Sunday. This follows the meet-up Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had this week. The three are scheduled to attend the Sunday meet-up along with heads of the main political blocs. Whether a national conference follows after that is open to debate.Al Mada also reports that the National Alliance has demands for attending any national conference and they include that the meet-up takes place in Baghdad and that "no Saddamists or terrorists" be invited. Following up on that thread of insults, Al Rafidayn reports that Yusuf Qaradawi, head of the International Association of Muslim Scholars, now stands accused of being an agent of Israel and the United States. Alsumaria TV notes that debate continues on where the national conference would be held (KRG President Massoud Barzani will not attend if it's held in Baghdad). And Barazani is now saying -- from scrawl on Alsumaria website -- that he won't attend any national conference if the Erbil Agreement is not implemented. Continuing his surprising recent pattern of 'elder statesman,' Moqtada al-Sadr continues to talk like a leader. Alsumaria TV reports he is calling on everyone to stay calm and not let differences tear the country apart.

Nouri kicked off the political crisis last month by targeting Iraqiya. Among other things, he wants Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq stripped of his office and Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi arrested. Adam Schreck (AP) reports that al-Mutlaq declared in an interview today that Nouri needs to resign. He fails to quote Saleh al-Mutlaq directly. Considering that these type of interviews lead to endless charges by politicians in Iraq, Schreck needed to quote al-Mutlaq word for word. He didn't. And the confused don't just include Iraqis, they include AP staff. It was really embarrassing for the AP today at the State Dept press breifing to try to ask a question about the interview when the reporter (for AP) was unsure of what AP was stating al-Mutlaq had said. From the State Dept's official transcript (link is text with video option, press briefing was conducted by spokesperson Victoria Nuland):

QUESTION: We have an interview with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister al-Mutlaq today, where he calls Prime Minister Maliki a tyrant or something. I think it was a dictator, and he talks about getting (inaudible) of Iraq. Do you have a comment on that?

MS. NULAND: We saw the interview, obviously. What we are continuing to do, as we've said a number of times in the last few days, is to impress upon senior Iraqi politicians the importance of direct dialogue with each other to resolve their differences and to work towards a solution that represents the interests of all Iraqis for an inclusive government and that's within the Iraqi constitution. We don't think it's helpful for Iraqi politicians to be hashing out their differences in the media. We'd much rather see them sit down together. In that regard, we are encouraged that Prime Minister Maliki, President Talabani, Speaker Nujaifi have all begun a process of working out the parameters for a national conference that will focus on a political solution that represents the interests of all Iraqis. That's something that we support. As you may know, Deputy Secretary Burns arrived in Iraq this evening and will have consultations with a broad cross-section of Iraqi leaders tomorrow.

QUESTION: Can I just ask a quick follow-up?

MS. NULAND: Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you have any expectation of when this conference might finally take place, and would the U.S. participate in some way either as an observer or as a monitor or facilitator to this?

MS. NULAND: Well, certainly, on the latter point, our goal is for Iraqis to talk to each other. There's no expectation that we would be in the room for that. That said, we have encouraged all parties to get to the table. With regard to the timing, I think that's exactly the kind of thing that the Iraqis are trying to hash out now.

NIQASH: In terms of the charges of terrorism against you, you have always insisted upon your innocence. But if that is so, then why did you leave Baghdad and why don't you return there?

Tariq al-Hashimi: I left Baghdad on Dec. 17 so I had left the city before the testimonies of my guards [against me] were broadcast on TV. I came to Sulaymaniyah after an official invitation was extended to me on Dec. 15 by His Excellency, the President of the Republic [Kurdish politician Jalal Talabani]. The invitation was extended to me and my colleague Khodair al-Khozaei [also a vice president] in order for us to attend the presidency's council meeting.

NIQASH: So you're saying you were not trying to escape the arrest warrant?

Al-Hashimi: No, I did not run away. I am confident that the judiciary and the Iraqi courts will uphold my name and reputation in due course.

NIQASH: So why don't you just return to Baghdad?

Al-Hashimi: Because I don't trust the judiciary in Baghdad. This is why I officially requested that the government transfer my trial to Kirkuk. This is a legitimate request under Article 55, which gives the defendant the right to request a change of location for a trial.

A closer look at Hashemi's arrest warrant shows that Maliki's move had little to do with Hashemi himself. Although the aging statesmen has been a headache for Maliki's coalition in recent years, his mischief was always "controllable" as the man threatened to walk out on cabinets over and over - but never took the bold move. He does not command a militia that roams the streets, has not been convicted of any treason and certainly is not "Saudi Arabia's number one" in Iraqi politics. The charge brought against him is of operating a militia in the post-2003 order that is accused of killing political opponents. Big deal - by Iraqi standards. If Maliki wanted to go by an anti-militia yardstick, then he would have to arrest his prime allies Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and Ammar al-Hakim, who respectively run the Mehdi Army and Badr Brigade, two Iran-affiliated military groups. Hashemi's warrant, pretty much as he has been saying all along, is 100% political, aimed at arm-twisting and scaring the Sunni community at large, which he represents. Maliki is worried that the Arab Spring will soon reach Baghdad, now that the Americans have left, only this time it won't be society at large rising against an aging despot; it will be the Sunni minority that ruled Iraq since creation of the modern country in the 1920s, against the Shi'ite majority that came into power after the 2003 toppling of Saddam.

In other news, Al Mada reports that MP Rafi Abd al-Jabbar (Sadr bloc) is objecting to the continued presence of the (US) CIA in Iraq, stating it undermines Iraqi sovereignty and continues the US occupation. And Press TV reports this morning that 35,000 security forces are now being deployed to protect the pilgrims. The question is, since Arbaeen ends tomorrow, and since the pilgrims have been attacked since last weekend, why, only now, are these 35,000 being deployed? Sam Dagher and Ali A. Nabhan (Wall St. Journal) report, "Iraq's Shiite-led government took unprecedented security measures Friday to protect Shiite Muslim pilgrims observing the high point of a religious occasion from attacks by extremists. Meanwhile, car bombs targeted officials in the polarized and volatile northern city of Kirkuk." The two car bombs left twenty-six people injured. In addition, Reuters notes a Kirkuk sticky bombing claimed 1 life, a Mosul suicide bomber took his own life and left two police officers injured (two suspects were killed in the assault as well), a Hamman al-Alil roadside bombing claimed the life of 1 police officer and left another injured, a Baquba roadside bombing injured three Iraqi soldiers and 1 corpse was discovered in Khanaqin.

In Iraq, the political crisis continues. Al Mada reports that the expanded meeting (not the national conference) is set for this Sunday. This follows the meet-up Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had this week. The three are scheduled to attend the Sunday meet-up along with heads of the main political blocs. Whether a national conference follows after that is open to debate.Al Mada also reports that the National Alliance has demands for attending any national conference and they include that the meet-up takes place in Baghdad and that "no Saddamists or terrorists" be invited. Following up on that thread of insults, Al Rafidayn reports that Yusuf Qaradawi, head of the International Association of Muslim Scholars, now stands accused of being an agent of Israel and the United States. Alsumaria TV notes that debate continues on where the national conference would be held (KRG President Massoud Barzani will not attend if it's held in Baghdad). And Barazani is now saying -- from scrawl on Alsumaria website -- that he won't attend any national conference if the Erbil Agreement is not implemented. Continuing his surprising recent pattern of 'elder statesman,' Moqtada al-Sadr continues to talk like a leader. Alsumaria TV reports he is calling on everyone to stay calm and not let differences tear the country apart.

Nouri kicked off the political crisis last month by targeting Iraqiya. Among other things, he wants Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq stripped of his office and Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi arrested. Niqash interviews Tareq al-Hashemi:

NIQASH: In terms of the charges of terrorism against you, you have always insisted upon your innocence. But if that is so, then why did you leave Baghdad and why don’t you return there?

Tariq al-Hashimi: I left Baghdad on Dec. 17 so I had left the city before the testimonies of my guards [against me] were broadcast on TV. I came to Sulaymaniyah after an official invitation was extended to me on Dec. 15 by His Excellency, the President of the Republic [Kurdish politician Jalal Talabani]. The invitation was extended to me and my colleague Khodair al-Khozaei [also a vice president] in order for us to attend the presidency’s council meeting.

NIQASH: So you’re saying you were not trying to escape the arrest warrant?

Al-Hashimi: No, I did not run away. I am confident that the judiciary and the Iraqi courts will uphold my name and reputation in due course.

NIQASH: So why don’t you just return to Baghdad?

Al-Hashimi: Because I don’t trust the judiciary in Baghdad. This is why I officially requested that the government transfer my trial to Kirkuk. This is a legitimate request under Article 55, which gives the defendant the right to request a change of location for a trial.

A closer look at Hashemi's arrest warrant shows that Maliki's move had little to do with Hashemi himself. Although the aging statesmen has been a headache for Maliki's coalition in recent years, his mischief was always "controllable" as the man threatened to walk out on cabinets over and over - but never took the bold move. He does not command a militia that roams the streets, has not been convicted of any treason and certainly is not "Saudi Arabia's number one" in Iraqi politics. The charge brought against him is of operating a militia in the post-2003 order that is accused of killing political opponents. Big deal - by Iraqi standards. If Maliki wanted to go by an anti-militia yardstick, then he would have to arrest his prime allies Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and Ammar al-Hakim, who respectively run the Mehdi Army and Badr Brigade, two Iran-affiliated military groups. Hashemi's warrant, pretty much as he has been saying all along, is 100% political, aimed at arm-twisting and scaring the Sunni community at large, which he represents. Maliki is worried that the Arab Spring will soon reach Baghdad, now that the Americans have left, only this time it won't be society at large rising against an aging despot; it will be the Sunni minority that ruled Iraq since creation of the modern country in the 1920s, against the Shi'ite majority that came into power after the 2003 toppling of Saddam.

Finally Al Mada reports that MP Rafi Abd al-Jabbar (Sadr bloc) is objecting to the continued presence of the (US) CIA in Iraq, stating it undermines Iraqi sovereignty and continues the US occupation.

ADDED: Remember, next month, the first ever scientific symposium will be held in New York.

The school of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brooke designates this live activity for a maximum of 6 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Al Mada is reporting today that 4 Americans -- 2 men, 2 women -- have been arrested in Iraq. They were carrying weapons according to the governor of Baghad, Salah Abdul Razak. They were in a BMW which was stopped at a checkpoint and they were discovered with weapons. They displayed some form of identity badges but they were arrested and our in police custody with the Sixth Brigade conducting the investigation.

In other news, Press TV reports this morning that 35,000 security forces are now being deployed to protect the pilgrims. The question is, since Arbaeen ends tomorrow, and since the pilgrims have been attacked since last weekend, why, only now, are these 35,000 being deployed?

Staying with violence, Reuters reports two police officers in Mosul are injured after attempting to storm a suspect's home when the suspect detonated a bomb killing himself and 2 other people, a Hamman al-Alil roadside bombing claimed the life of 1 police officer and left one more injured, a Baquba roadside bombing injured three Iraqi soldiers and 1 corpse was discovered in Khanaqin.

Earlier we just rolled our eyes as Adnan al-Daini thought to lecture the Iraqis (he's a British citizen who was born in Iraq) by lecturing them -- and it was a lecture -- by quoting European Dead Famous Male to them (was Edmund Burke? who cares it was crap). We just rolled our eyes and moved right on. Now al-Daini is insisting:The two army personnel were Sunni Muslims from different parts of Iraq. They made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the Shia pilgrims. They acted instinctively to save fellow human beings; Shia or Sunni did not occur to them. Western media have covered the story of the carnage and other stories of sectarian violence and intolerance in detail, so why ignore the heroism of the soldiers? These brave men are the true representatives of the Iraqi people. Their martyrdom symbolizes the unity of the people in the face of terrorists targeting the innocent, in the name of a warped and insane interpretation of the noble religion of Islam.With their ultimate sacrifice, the two men have put self-serving Iraqi politicians to shame as they squabble, incapable of thinking or behaving outside their narrow self-interest, and ready to play the sectarian or ethnic card if it helps to consolidate their power base and interests.

We ignored that bulls**t here. It was in the Iraqi newspapers earlier this week and really hit on Wednesday. It was covered by English language outlets yesterday.

We ignored it -- and this may be why media outlets in the US did -- because it's nonsense. Three children were killed yesterday. Because? Their father was Sahwa.

Their father's Sunni. Sunnis are targeted. To make it appear that they aren't, the Baghdad government used two dead Sunnis. Maybe they died as portayed, maybe they felt what they supposedly felt. I have no reason to believe it. I do recall Ronald Reagan's idiotic 'true' story about a pilot who gave his life so that others could live (if the story had been true, there was no witness to it -- the story was false and Reagan got it from a movie, from a really bad movie).

It was before the Parliament, it was lauded by the Baghdad government. Why wasn't it covered? Why would it be? If true, it was politicized. And there are real issues going on. Maybe if Nouri was finding jobs for Sahwa -- instead of having them arrested and killed -- you'd have some news. But you don't have any, you have propaganda. It's not news. Maybe if al-Daini's really quiet, he can hear Edmund Burke explaining that to him?

About Me

We do not open attachments. Stop e-mailing them. Threats and abusive e-mail are not covered by any privacy rule. This isn't to the reporters at a certain paper (keep 'em coming, they are funny). This is for the likes of failed comics who think they can threaten via e-mails and then whine, "E-mails are supposed to be private." E-mail threats will be turned over to the FBI and they will be noted here with the names and anything I feel like quoting.
This also applies to anyone writing to complain about a friend of mine. That's not why the public account exists.